Load lifting and dumping machine



April 20, 1943. E, MCFARLAND 2,317,075

LOAD LIFTING AND DUMPING MACHINE Filed March 31. 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 20, 1943. E, MCFARLAND. 2,317,075

LOAD LIF'IING AND DUMPING MACHINE Filed March 31, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 o April 20, 1943. E. McFARLAND LOAD LIFTING AND DUMPING MACHINE Filed March 31, 1942 ,5 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 20, 1943. E. McFARLAND LOAD LIFTING AND DUMPING MACHINE Filed March 51, 1942 5Sheetls-Sheat 4 April 20, 1943., E, MCFA'RLAND 2,317,075

LOAD LIFTING AND DUMPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-'Shet s Patented Apr. 20, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,317,075 LOAD LIFTING AND DUMPING MACHINE Eldo McFarland, Sterling, Kans.

Application Marchfil, 1942, Serial No. 437,064

Claims.

The invention relates to machines for lifting loads and dumping them upon a stack or pile, and the present embodiment relates also to a machine of this nature which is mobile to first gather a load from the ground, to then carry the load to the stack or pile, and to then elevate and dump the load. Such machines, when forkequipped, are useable for handling hay and the like, and when scoop-equipped, are useable for handling snow, sand, gravel, etc., and although I have illustrated a fork primarily for handling hay and the like, it is to be understood that I am not restricted thereto.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved machine which may be constructed to not only elevate a load to an unusual height, but to forwardly project said load over a stack or the like before dumping, lessening the labor required in distributing the dumped load and permitting stacking (hay primarily) in a manner which will insure effective shedding of water.

In carrying out the above end, a further object is to make novel and efficient provision for first elevating a boom which carries the load support (fork or scoop) and for then forwardly projecting said load support to any desired dumping position.

Another object is to make novel and advantageous provision for holding the load support in substantially horizontal position from the time load-lifting starts until said load support reaches its dumping position.

Yet another object is to make novel and ad .vantageous provision to free the load support for pivotal movement when the boom is fully lowered and to then tilt the front end of said load support down onto the ground to facilitate load-gathering while the machine is being propelled forwardly. In this connection, a still further aim is to provide for automatically tilting said load support upwardly to load-lifting position before the boom starts upwardly.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the parts in the positions which they occupy when the load support is in load-gathering or receiving position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the relation of parts when the boom has been lifted to lift the load support but has not yet been projected.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but showing the boom and the load support forwardly projected, a part of the boom being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on an enlarged scale as indicated by line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a vertical transverse section on line l-l of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a further enlarged vertical section on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a disassembled perspective view of a number of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on line l0--l0 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section on line i l-Ii of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a sectional perspective view showing a portion of one of the carriages.

Illustrative features of construction have been illustrated and will be rather specifically described, with the understanding, however, that variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

A frame I5 is provided having supporting casters l 6 at its front end, the rear end of said frame being provided with appropriate means IT for connecting it with the frame of a tractor i 8, said means preferably including universal joints which are diagrammatically illustrated at IS in Fig. 4. Two parallel laterally spaced tracks 26 are secured to and rise from the frame 15, said tracks being suitably braced at 2| against any forward or rearward tilting. The tracks 20 are also suitably braced against lateral tilting by means of appropriate braces, portions of which are shown at 22 in Figs. 10 and 11. Each track 20 is formed from channel metal with its channel open outwardly, and the upper end of each standard is forwardly directed as indicated at 23. See more particularly Figs. 1, 10 and 11.

Two carriages 24 are slidably engaged with the tracks 20 respectively, said carriages being rigidly connected at their upper portions by a transverse shaft 25 (see more particularly Figs. 10 and 11). In the present disclosure, the ends of this shaft are provided with flanged rollers 26 constituting iboom supports, as hereinafter more fully explained. Also associated with each of the carriages 24 is a sheave 21, and above this sheave there are two sheaves28 and 29 which are suitably mounted upon the upper end of the track 20. I have shown two drums 33 on a shaft 3| which is suitably mounted on the frame [5 and driven by any appropriate means from the tractor engine. Two cables 32 are engaged with the sheaves 21, 28 and 23 at each side of the machine, said cables having downwardly extending end portions 33 secured to the drums 30, and rearwardly extending end portions 34. These end portions 34 are connected with parts of the machine hereinafter described.

Two forwardly swingable rearwardly inclined arms 35 are pivoted at 36 to the frame [5 in rearwardly spaced relation with the tracks 26, the upper ends of said arms 35 being connected by a transverse bar 36 (Figs. 5 and 6), suitable braces 31 being employed in the angles between said arms and bar. Two booms 38 have their rear ends pivoted at 39 to the upper ends of the arms 35, and the front portions of said booms rest upon the boom-supporting rollers 26 above described. The front ends of these booms carry L-shaped arms 45' to which a fork or other load support 45 is pivoted at 4|, for dumping movement. Connected with an upwardly projecting portion 42 of the fork or load support 40, are two rearwardly extending :cables 43 which are associated with other elements in a manner to be hereinafter described.

Two shaft-carrying plates 44 are pivotally mounted upon the pivots 39 which connect the arms 35 with the booms 38, said shaft-carrying plates 44 being thus forwardly and rearwardly swingable. These plates are shown in the side elevations but are illustrated more particularly in Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive. Near its upper end, each plate 44 is provided with a bearing 45 for a transverse shaft 46, said shaft 46 having arms 41 to which the rear ends of the cables 43 are suitably secured. In the present showing, the shaft 46 is provided with spools or the like 48 secured thereto and turnably received in the bearings 45. Two hanging arms 49 are pivotally hung from the shaft 46, and the rearwardly extending end portions 34 of the cables 32, are secured to said hanging arms 49, said cable portions 34 being engaged with appropriate guides 54 on the ends of an arched transverse member 5! which is rigidly secured to and connects the rear portions of the booms 38. Fixed stops 52 are provided on the shaft-carrying plates 44 to limit the forward swinging of the hanging arms 43. Other fixed stops 53 are provided on the plates 44 for cooperation with the arms 35, and still other fixed stops 54 are employed on said plates to cooperate with the booms 33, all of which will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Two bolts 55 are slidably mounted upon the shaft 46, the outer ends of these bolts being normally received in openings 56 in the upper ends of the hanging arms 49, whereby the shaft 46 is connected with these arms 49. While the load is being lifted, the arms 49. are held forward against the stops 52, and as the bolts 55 then connect the shaft 46 with said hanging arms 49, the shaft is held against turning in load-dumping direction, the arms 41 and cables 43 then holding the load support 40 in a substantially horizontal position. With the support 40 moved to any desired dumping position, release of the bolts 55 permits the shaft 46 to turn in the proper direction to allow said load support 40 to dump- In, order th the shaft 46, arms 41 and cables 43 shall hold the load support 40 against dumping, it is of course" nec ssary that the shaft-carry n plates be.

held against any undesirable pivotal movements during handling of the load. It is for this purpose that the stops 53 and 54 on said plates 44, are provided. During part of the load-handling movement of the arms 35 and booms 38, the stops 53 abut said arms 35 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. During the rest of the movement, the stops 54 abut the booms 38 as seen in Fig. 3.

For returning the shaft 46 to its normal position after load-dumping, to restore the load support to a substantially horizontal position, I provide the means now to be described. Two members which may be termed sheaves 60 (see Figs. 5 to 9) are secured to the shaft 46, pull cables 6| are secured to and trained under these sheaves, and pull springs 62 are connected to said pull cables. The outer ends of these pull springs are anchored to a transverse bar 63 which connects two arms 64, these arms 64 being rigidly secured to the upper portions of the hanging arms 49. When the shaft 46 turns in load-dumping direction, the pull cables 6| are wound on the sheaves 60, thereby tensioning the springs 62. As soon as the load is dumped, these springs contract, causing the pull cables 6| to turn the sheaves 60, restoring the shaft 46 to its normal position. Appropriate stop, means 65 (see more particularly Fig. 7) are provide-d to limit the return movement of the shaft 46, and when this movement is complete, the bolts are again proiected through the openings 56, suitable springs 66 (Fig. 5) being employed for so projecting said bolts.

The upper portions of the sheaves serve as guides for the outer ends of the bolts 55 in the present disclosure, the inner ends of these bolts being pivoted to a T-shaped release lever 61 (Figs. 5 and 6), to which lever a trip cable 68 is connected.

Toward their front portions, the booms 38 are provided with guide rollers 69 which are received in the channels of the tracks 23. While the booms are moving from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2, these rollers 69 simply move upwardly in the aforesaid channels. When the carriages Z4 reach fully raised position (Fig. 2), the booms 38 start to slide forwardly upon the supporting rollers 26. The boom-guiding rollers 69 then leave the forwardly directed ends 23 of the tracks 20. Before said rollers 69 leave said track ends 23., however, latches 10 come into play to hold the carriages 24 in raised position. In the present showing, these latches 10 are shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 10 and 11.' They project down- ;wardly from a suitably mounted rock shaft H which project upwardly and forwardly from the shaft ll, to be forced rearwardly to effect latch release. For so forcing the arm 12, trips 73 are fixedly carried by atransverse member 14 which connects the front ends of the booms 38. (See Figs. 4 and 11.) While the latches 10 ma normally be held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by suitable springs or by gravity, said latches are moved to released position by the ascent of the trips 13 when the booms 38 move upwardly to the positionshown in Fig. 2. However, as the booms move forwardly, the trips 13 disengage from the arms 12 and the latches 10 then engage the shaft 25 to hold the carriages 24 in their uppermost positions, before the guide. rollers 69 of the. booms 38. leave the. forwardly directed upper. ends 23 of the tracks 20, as will be clear from Fig. 3. As the booms 38 return fromthe Fig. 3 position to the Fig. 2 position, the trips 13 strike the arms 12, releasing the latches so that the carriagesv 24 may descend by gravity. Return of the boom 38 and load support 40 from the Fig. 3 position to the Fig. 2 position occurs by gravity, and gravity also again lowers the booms and carriages, all of this occurring while the cable end 33 is permitted to unwind from the drums 30.

When the booms 38 occupy their lowermost positions (Fig. 1) with the cables 32 somewhat slack, the hanging arms 49 may swing rearwardly somewhat from the stops 52 as shown in Fig. 1. This allows such movements of the arms 41 and cables 43 as to free the load support 40 so that its front end may tilt downwardly onto the ground for effective load-gathering. To assist in this tilting and to yieldably hold the front endiof the load support against the ground while the machine is being moved forwardly, suitable spring means are employed. In the present disclosure (see Figs. 1 and 2), these spring means comprise links 15 pivoted under and projecting rearwardly from the load support 40, and tension springs 16 connecting the rear ends of said links with the booms 38.

For driving the drum shaft 3|, I have illustrated a suitable shaft 11 to be driven in any preferred manner by a power take-off shaft or the like of the tractor l8, said shaft being connected with th shaft 3| by bevel gearing or the like 18 (Fig. 4). At 19, I have indicated a suit able brake for this shaft.

As to operation, assuming that the parts be standing substantially as seen in Fig. l, the machine is propelled forwardly, thereby gathering the load on the fork or load support 40. Shaft TI is then driven to effect winding of the cable end 33 on the drums 30. This tightens the en tire cable 32 and causes its rear end 34 to pull the hanging arms 49 forwardly until they strike the stops 5?. of the shaft-carrying plates 44. This causes the arms 41 and cables 43 to tilt the load support 40 upwardly from the ground to a substantially horizontal position. The cable 32 being now tight, continued winding of this cable on the drums causes ascent of the carriages 24 to upwardly swing the booms 38 from the position of Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2. Continued cable winding then causes the rear end portions 34 of the cables 32 to forwardly pull upon the booms 38 and arms 35, projecting said booms beyond the tracks 20 as seen in Fig. 3 and thus moving the load well over the stack or the like upon which it is to be dumped. During the projection of the booms 38, they are supported by the flanged rollers 26 of the carriages 24, the latter being then latched against descent by means of the latches 10. When the load reaches the position at which it is to be dumped, the trip cable 68 is pulled, thus releasing the bolts 55 from the hanging arms 49 and permitting the shaft 46 to rock in the proper direction to allow the load support 40 to dump. As soon as this support is free of the weight of the load, the springs 62, pull cables 6! and sheaves 60 reversely rock the shaft 46 and thus effect restoration of the load support 40 to substantially horizontal position in readiness for lowering. After load dumping, the shaft 11 is freed from the power and the cable 32 thus permitted to unwind from the drums 30, causing the parts to return by gravity, first to the Fig. 2 position in which the latches 10 are released, and

then finally to the Fig. 1 position. The descent of th parts may of course be readily controlled by means of the brake l9.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention, and while preferred characteristics have been shown, attention is again invited to the possibility of making numerous variations within th scope of the invention as claimed. 1

The sheaves 60 are shown as provided with hubs 60*- upon which bearings 60 of the hanging arms 49 are pivotally mounted, but said arms 49 could otherwise be pivotally connected with the shaft 46 if desired.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a vertical track rising from and rigidly secured to said frame, said track havin a forwardly directed upper end, a boom guide engaged with said track to first move upwardly thereon and to then move forwardly entirely from said forwardly directed track end, a boom connected near its front end with said boom guide, means on said frame movably supporting the rear end of said boom, a normally lowered carriage slidable vertically on said track and having a boom support upon which said boom rests, actuating means operatively connected with said carriage for raising it to lift said boom, and operatively connected with said boom for forwardly sliding this boom upon said boom support when said carriage is fully raised, a latch mounted on the upper end of said track'and en gageable with said carriage to support the latter against accidental descent when said boom guide leaves said forwardly directed track end during forward sliding of said boom, said latch having a releasing member movable rearwardly to release said latch, and a trip on said boom to strike and actuate saidlatch releasing member when said boom guide again engages said forwardly directed track end upon rearward return of said boom.

2. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a forwardly swingable arm extending upwardly from said frame, a forwardly and rearwardly swingable shaft carrier pivoted to the upper end of said arm, a boom having its rear end pivoted to said shaft carrier, a load support pivoted on a transverse axis to the front end of said boom for dumping movement, a transverse shaft rockably mounted on said shaft carrier and having an arm, means connecting this arm with said pivoted load support for holding the latter against dumping during load lifting, a hanging arm pivotally connected with said shaft, actuating means for upwardly swinging said boom and forwardly swinging said forwardly swingable arm, said actuating means including a cable connected with said hanging arm to pull forwardly on this arm during load lifting, a stop for limiting the forward pull-effected movement of said hanging arm with respect to said shaft carrier, self-engaging releasably engaged means on said shaft and hanging arm for normally connecting said shaft to said hanging arm to hold said shaft against load dumping movement, one fixed stop on said shaft carrier to abut said forwardly swingable arm and hold said shaft carrier against pivotal movement with respect to this arm during part of the load handling movement of this arm and said boom, a second fixed stop on said shaft carrier to abut said boom and hold said shaft carrier against pivotal movement with respect to said boom during the rest of the load handling movement of said boom, and means for returning said shaft to its normal relation with said hanging arm after release of said releasably engaged means and the consequent load dumping.

3'. A structure as specified in claim 2; said shaft-returning means comprising a drum secured to said shaft, a pull cable engaged with said drum, a pull spring connected with said pull cable and exerting the required pull thereon, and an additional arm secured to said hanging arm, said pull spring being anchored to said additional arm.

4. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a track rising from and rigidly secured to the front end of said frame, a forwardly swingable arm pivoted to said frame and spaced rearwardly from said track, a normally lowered carriage slidably engaged with said vertical track, said carriage having a boom support. a boom pivoted at its rear end to the upper end of said forwardly swingable arm, said boom resting near its front end upon said boom support, sheaves mounted on the upper end of said track and on said carriage, a drum mounted on said frame, a carriage-lifting and boom-sliding cable engaged With said sheaves, said cable having one end portion extending to said drum and another end portion extending rearwardly from the upper end of said track, a forwardly and rearwardly swingable shaft carrier pivoted to the upper end of said forwardly swingable arm and to the rear end of said boom, a load support pivoted on a transverse axis to the front end of said boom for dumping movement, a transverse shaft rockably mounted on said shaft carrier and having an arm, means connecting this arm with said load support to hold the latter against dumping during load lifting, a hanging arm pivotally connected with said shaft, the aforesaid rearwardly extending end portion of said cable being anchored to said hanging arm and exerting a forward pull thereon while said cable is being wound on said drum, stop means for limiting the for Ward movement of said hanging arm with respect to said shaft carrier, whereby winding of said cable on said drum will first elevate said carriage and boom and will then forwardly slide said boom upon said boom support, self-engaged releasably engaged means on said shaft and hanging arm for normally connecting said shaft to said hanging arm to hold said shaft against load dumping movement, one fixed stop on said shaft carrier to abut said forwardly swingable arm during part of the load handling movement of this arm and the boom, a second fixed stop on said shaft carrier to abut said boom during the rest of the load handling movement of said boom, said fixed stops, said forwardly swingable arm and said boom being cooperable to hold said shaft carrier against undesirable pivotal movement under the pull of said cable, and means for restoring said shaft to its normal relation with said hanging arm after release of said releasably engaged means and the consequent load dumping.

5. A structure as specified in claim 4; together with spring means acting on said load support for downwardly tilting the front end of said load support when said boom is fully lowered, said cable being then slack, permitting said shaft to rock.

ELDO MoFARLAND. 

